Youth
Created by: / St Margaret’s Silverstream
Number of speaking parts: / 17
Duration: / Medium
Includes: / Carols
ANIMAL NATIVITY - BORN IN THE STABLE
Version 1st December!!
Hymn: O little town of Bethlehem
Characters: Narrator, Mother, Ruth, Sam, Mary, Joseph, Rooster, Donkey, Dog, Cat, Cow,Sheep, Mouse, Duck, Shepherds, Angels, villagers
All children come in to RAP,
(Angels sit on floor at front, shepherds, animals, Sam, Mary & Joseph go to the back, Mother, & Ruth stay on stage )
Narrator:Today’s action takes place in the little town of Bethlehem. The whole town is crowded with visitors. The inn is a hive of activity in preparation for as many visitors as possible.
Scene 1 The Inn
(Mother and Ruth bustling about, sweeping, polishing, making beds)
Mother:We’refully booked tonight – people are coming for all over the country for this census. It’s good for our business, but certainly makes a lot of work. I wonder how we’ll get ready in time. Ruth, be a honey and run upstairs and make sure there are enough mattresses down so we can squeeze in as many people as possible.
When you’ve done that, pop over next door, and see if they’ve got any extra flour to make more bread. Hurry up, then, no time to waste.
Ruth:Okay, Mum, is there anything else you need? I may be able to catch up with Hannah. She’s probably having to rush around too, as everyone seems to have extra people staying over. Bye, Mum
(Ruth runs off to side, and sits on floor.)
Mother:Sam, Sam, Sam. Where is that boy? Sam, come here, I need you.
Sam:(running in)Hi, Mum, I’ve just been seeing all the visitors in town – there are heaps of people from all over the country. Gee, I wish I could travel around, there are just so many great tales to hear.
Mother:It’s great to have dreams, son, but tonight we need a spare pair of hands. Dad and I are so busy getting the inn ready for visitors that we need you to see to the animals. Please would you clean out the stable, get in fresh hay and water, and get the animals in for the night. The weather men say it’s going to be a cold one.
Sam:Gee, Mum, I hate cleaning the stable – I don’t know why the animals can’t always do their business outside!
Mother:Off you go, Sam, just be thankful there are no camels in there – now they really do make a mess!
(Mother sits down, Sam fetches broom, & bucket)
Scene 2 in the Stable(broom, bucket, hay, manger)
(Sam sweeps, lays straw, straw in manger, sees pile of poo, holds nose.)
Sam:Oh, no, here we go again, smelly animals. Poo – I wonder if anyone would notice if I just cover it with straw. (Thinks). Better not, I’ll just shovel it up and put it outside. (Does so)
(Calling out the door) Come and get it, come and get it – here’s your feed. Come on. (Rattles bucket and leave to sit on floor)
(Rooster flies in, perches on window ledge, crows. While other animals come in, making appropriate noises and walking, running or jumping in)
Rooster: Cock-a-doodle-doo. Have you all heard the news?
Cow:What’s the mooooood in town? Why are there all those people?
Cat:Miaow,I heard that they’ve all come to be counted
Sheep:Baa, Fancy people being counted, I thought the people counted sheep! The shepherd counts me every day.
Dog:Woof, woof,Seems a bit over the top for people, though
Duck:Quack, quack, quack, they’re making more noise than a pond full of ducks
Mouse:Squeak, squeak, I nearly got trodden on by one of those big horses
Rooster: Mouse, you should make a noise like me, then they’d keep out of your way.
Cock-a doodle-doo - Hey, listen, can you hear the noise? Dog, run out and see what it’s all about.
(Dog rushes out)
Song: Clippety clop
(dog rushes back, followed by donkey, Mary Joseph. Mary & Joseph sit up front facing audience. Animals join the other animals)
Donkey:Hi, folks, it’s been an awful long way with this lady on my back
Cow:She looks awfully fat and heavy. Is she going to calve?
Rooster:People don’t calve, they just have babies.
Donkey:That’s right, and I think Mary is about to have hers. Joseph has been fussing around her like a mother hen, so something’s due to happen. We’ve traveled for days and days, but when we reached town, all the places were full, even the inn. Theinn keeper said to come down here. Can we share with you? You don’t mind do you? We’re all totally done in. What’s the hay supply like? We’ll need some to rest on, and I’ll need some to eat.
All animals together: Plenty for all of us, plenty for all of us
Rooster:The hay for eating is in the manger there, Donkey. Come on, all of you, move over, move over, make room, make room
All animals together: Move over, make room, move over, make room.
(all shuffle about. Donkey rests)
Sheep:If I sit close to the lady she can lean on me, she looks as though she’s tuckered out
Donkey:Whew, that feels better. It’s so good to rest my hooves
Rooster:(Looking out window) There’san amazing star out here – makes the place look as bright as day. Wonder what it all means. Feels strange somehow, but let’s get some sleep as I have to be up early in the morning …..as usual.
(All settle down to sleep and snore)
Narrator:During the night Mary had her firstborn son. She wrapped him in cloths and laid him in the animals’ manger
(Genevieve plays Hark the Herald Angelswhile angels stand, and shepherds walk down aisle)
Scene 3: In the aisle –
Shepherds together:(frightened) What on earth is all this – who are you, and what do you want?
Angels together:Don’t be frightened. We’ve come to bring you great news. Today there is a baby born, a saviour who is Christ the Lord. You’ll find him in a stable in Bethlehem, in the manger. Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all people on earth.
Glory to God, Glory to God
Shepherds together:Wow, this is really awesome. Let’s go and see what it’s all about. Come on, hurry up.
(Genevieve plays Silent Night. Shepherds run to back, Angels stand behind Mary & Joseph. Baby is given to Mary)
Scene 4: Back in the stable
Rooster:(suddenly waking up) Cock-a-doodle-doo, look what’s new, there’s a baby in the manger, how do you do!!
(all animals gather round the baby).
Dog:Looks a bit helpless to me
Cat:It’s got no whiskers at all
Cow:Maybe the mother would like a drink of milk after all that hard work.
Duck:I’ll give him some of my feathers to lie on
Sheep:When I’m shorn, he can have a nice warm blanket
Mouse:Sh, we mustn’t wake the baby up.
Donkey:I bet the lady feels a bit lighter now, I wouldn’t mind carrying her home again
Rooster:(looking out window) Hey, look out, here come some people. Sheep, looks like your shepherd’s one of them.
Song:The jersey cow came mooing
(Shepherdswalk down aisle during last verse)
Shepherds together: Wow, have you ever seen anything like this – this is one very special baby. This is what the angels told us about
(all kneel, one gives lamb)
Rooster:Cock-a-doodle-doo. Look what’s coming now – looks like the whole town.
(Enter Mother, Ruth, Sam, & villagers including 3 villagers from congregation. 3 adults give a gift, saying what it is and why).
Song:Open the stable door
Needs:Backdrop – Unbleached calico, painted with boards – mount on wire at front of church, stable scenery for Scene 2, include window, window ledge, lamb
2 brooms, bucket, shovel, straw, lamb, gifts for people to bring, microphones (Clive), large copy of shepherds’ and angels’ spoken words